Rohingyas Face Difficulties With Extortion By Local Police in Kyain Chaung

RB News 

September 21, 2013

Maungdaw, Arakan – The shops in the market, on roadside and other shops have the licenses from municipality for the business. Despite this the police officers and police from Kyain Chaung police station in Northern Maungdaw Township in Arakan State are extorting money from the business owners. The shopkeepers are each forced to pay 20,000 kyats monthly.

Starting this month, the shopkeepers who are selling kerosene and petrol have to pay an extra 10,000 kyats. So the shopkeepers who are selling those now need to pay 30,000 kyats per month. 

The extortion is being carried out by the assistant police officer, Zaw Zaw Aung. He is specially appointed for extorting money and torturing the Rohingyas. Although Sabai Gone village is not under Kyain Chaung police station, the police forced to them to pay 10,000 kyat per month. 

Now (1) Mansur, son of Zahid Hussein, (2) Salim, son of Mohammed Siddique, and (3) Arafat, son of Siddique Ahmed are paying this monthly extortion fee because they are selling kerosene and petrol. Zaw Zaw Aung said that they have to pay this because they are selling Bengali products.

“We are selling Bangladesh, China and Thai products. All of the products are foreign made. It is lame excuse that they are extorting money from us for selling foreign products. They have to work for our security but they are not doing their jobs. What they are doing is extorting money from us and is torturing us.” a villager told RB News. 

The police Zaw Zaw Aung was born in Kyain Chaung village and he grew up there. He knows who can efford the money in the village and is targeting those people. Recently he extorted 160,000 kyats from Nabi Hussein and 110,000 kyats from Molvi Ayub. Similarly a Hlun Htaine police, Kyaw Than Aung is also reportedly disturbing the local Rohingyas and extorting money from them by various means. 

The Rohingyas from disbanded Nasaka area (1), (2), (3) and (4) are coming to Kyain Chaung village market for shopping. Zaw Zaw Aung is asking them to show their White Card and Travel permit. Whoever fails to show, will need to pay extortion of 50,000 kyats to 100,000 kyats.